International Journal of Chemical Studies 2018; 6(6): 575-577
P-ISSN: 2349–8528
E-ISSN: 2321–4902
IJCS 2018; 6(6): 575-577
© 2018 IJCS
Received: 27-09-2018
Accepted: 28-10-2018
Pramod Kumar
Ph.D. Scholar, Department of
Agronomy, C.S.A.U.A & T,
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Naushad Khan
Associate Professor, Department
of Agronomy, C.S.A.U.A & T,
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Prashant Deo Singh
Ph.D. Scholar, Department of
Soil Science and Agril.
Chemistry, S.V.B.P.U.A & T,
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
Anand Singh
Ph.D. Scholar, Department of
Soil Science and Agril.
Chemistry, S.V.B.P.U.A & T,
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
Yogesh
Ph.D. Scholar, Department of
Agronomy, N.D.U.A & T,
Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Vikas Yadav
Ph.D. Scholar, Department of
Agronomy, C.S.A.U.A & T,
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Correspondence
Pramod Kumar
Ph.D. Scholar, Department of
Agronomy, C.S.A.U.A & T,
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Panchagavya: A low cost organic input in organic
farming-a review
Pramod Kumar, Naushad Khan, Prashant Deo Singh, Anand Singh,
Yogesh and Vikas Yadav
Abstract
Panchagavya, an organic product has the potential to play the role of promoting growth, development and
providing immunity in plant system. Panchagavya consists of nine products viz., cow dung, cow urine,
milk, curd, jaggery, ghee, banana, Tender coconut and water. When suitably mixed and used, these have
miraculous effects. It has the ability to play the function of promoting the growth, development and
supplying immunity in plant machine thereby confers resistance against pest and provides drought
hardiness to the plants. It also improves fertility status in soils by increasing macronutrients,
micronutrients and beneficial microorganisms thus increase soil health. Thus, Panchagavya plays a major
role in organic farming and sustainable agriculture.
Keywords: Panchagavya, cow milk, ghee, curd, cow urine and dung, gur and organic farming
Introduction
The present world scenario explosively emphasizes the need to adopt eco-friendly agricultural
practices for sustainable agriculture. Heavy use of chemicals pesticides in agriculture has
weakened the ecological base in addition to degradation of soil, water resources and quality of
the food. At this juncture, a keen awareness has sprung on the adoption of “organic farming”
as a remedy to cure the ills of modern chemical agriculture (Kannaiyan, 2000) [6]. Organic
farming has developed very rapidly in recent years. Indian agriculture has a better chance to
convert itself as organic agriculture because, the per capita and per ha consumption of
chemical fertilizer and pesticides the country is much lower than the global standards.
The Sanskrit word Panchagavya means "mixture of five cow products". It is also called
cowpathy treatment based on products obtained from cows used in Ayurvedic medicine and of
religious significance for Hindus. Panchagavya is an organic formulation, which in Sanskrit
means the blend of five products obtained from Deshi cow milk, ghee, curd, dung and urine
(all these products are individually called as “Gavya” and collectively named as Panchagavya).
In India, use of Panchagavya in organic farming is gaining popularity in recent years
especially in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Panchagavya has the potential to play the role
of promoting growth and providing immunity in plant system. Panchagavya plays a major role
in organic farming.
Ingredients used to prepare Panchagavya
To make 20 litres of Panchagavya solution, the following inputs / ingredients are required
 Cow dung mixed with water: 5 kg.
 Cow urine: 3 litres.
 Cow milk: 2 litres.
 Cow curd: 2 litres.
 Cow ghee: 1 kg.
 Well-ripened yellow banana: 1 dozen (12 pieces).
 Tender coconut water: 3 litres.
 Sugarcane juice: 3 litres or half kg of Jaggery should be mixed with 3 litres of water.
 Toddy: 2 litre
Other requirements for Panchagavya preparation
 Mut Pots with wide mouth or Concrete Tank or Plastic
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International Journal of Chemical Studies
Step involves in the preparation of Panchagavya
Step I: The measured amount of cow dung (5 kg) and ghee (1
kg) should be blended thoroughly early in the morning and
also in evening into the selected container. This should be
kept for about three to four days for fermentation to happen.
Step II: On the fourth or fifth day, cow urine (3 litres) along
with water (5 litres) should be added to the container and kept
for 7 to 8 more days. The ingredients in the container should
be well mixed by stirring for 20 to 30 minutes. This stirring
should be carried out both in the morning and evening to
facilitate aerobic microbial activity. Now you have to leave
this Mixture without disturbing for about 15 days.
Step III: Now after 15 days, you should add the rest of the
ingredients like cow milk, cow curd, tender coconut water,
bananas and jaggery or sugarcane juice Once you mix all
these ingredients, you have to mix stir this mixture twice a
day, in the morning and evening. You have to do to this for
about a total period of 30 days. After a month or so, your
Panchagavya products are ready to use.
Physico-chemical and Biological properties of
Panchagavya
The physico-chemical and biological properties of this
mixture are numerous. Almost all the essential chemical
properties are available in this mixture. The main reasons
behind is the organic and natural ingredients to prepare this
mixture. Panchagavya contains several macronutrients
nutrients viz., nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and
micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn) which are required for
the normal growth and development of plants. It also contains
different carbohydrates, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins,
antioxidants, immunity booster, growth regulators like
Auxins, Gibberellins and also beneficial microorganisms like
Pseudomonas, Azotobacter and phosphobacteria etc.
Chemical composition Microbial load
pH 5.45 Fungi 38800/ml
EC dSm2 10.22 Bacteria 1880000/ml
Total N (ppm) 229 Lactobacillus 2260000/ml
Total P (ppm) 209 Total anaerobes 10000/ml
Total K (ppm) 232 Acid formers 360/ml
Sodium 90 Methanogen 250/ml
Calcium 25
IAA (ppm) 8.5
GA (ppm) 3.5
Beneficial Effects of Panchagavya
Panchagavya is a component of crop production and it plays a
crucial role in each and every component of crop management
like integrated soil fertility management, integrated pest
management, and integrated disease management. The
advantages of Panchagavya are given bellow (Anonymous
2018) [1].
 This organic fertilizer significantly improves the
immunity of the plants. This will result in the curing of
plants that are suffering from different diseases.
 It also acts as an organic growth promoter which we have
discussed earlier.
 This mixture is very helpful in growing the Organic
Farming Sector in India.
 This decrease the use of Chemical fertilizers which are
degrading the human health.
 It also helps in developing the soil health.
 This mixture will help in improving the health of the
environment.
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 It gives more results than the chemical fertilizers and
other sprays that a farmer uses.
 It also acts as a pest repellant in major commercial crops.
 Farmers have observed that it is helping the crops to
mature early.
 It helps in retaining water. This reduces the water
requirement for irrigation by 25% to 30%. This is a
staggering number in the drought-prone areas.
 This wonder mixture helps the roots to grow profusely
thus by helping them to penetrate deeper layers of water.
 This is helping farmers to increase the shelf life of
vegetables, fruits, and other produce.
 Farmers are claiming that it helps in increasing the
canopy of the crop which helps in better photosynthesis.
 The Sugar content and aroma of fruits is also high when
they use this organic fertilizer.
Different beneficial uses of Panchagavya
(1). Growth promoter
Panchagavya has the potential to play the very important role
in promoting growth and providing immunity in plant system.
Sridhar et al., (2001) observed that application of
panchagavya as sprayed on chillies crop produced dark green
colour and new growth of leaf within 10 days.
Balkrishnamurthy et al., (2006) conducted a field experiment
to find out the effect of different bio-regulators on turmeric
variety BSR-2 and reported that the application of humic acid
(0.05%) spray at monthly interval from 30-180 DAS
significantly increased growth parameters like plant height
(141.99 cm), numbers of tillers (3.67), leaf length (60.55 cm),
leaf breadth (17.54 cm) and stem girth (10.04 cm) fallowed by
Panchagavya 3% spray over control (110.83, 2.67, 39.51,
12.87 and 8.32 cm, respectively). Pinjari (2007) conducted a
field experiment during 2005-6 and 2006-7 to find out the
effect of 3% Panchagavya spray on sweet corn and reported
that all the growth characters viz., plant height, number of
functional leaves and dry matter accumulation at different
crop stages in the different plant part at 60, 90 DAS and at
harvest significantly influenced during both year of study and
the mean of two years. At 30 DAS, all the growth characters
remained unaffected due to the application of growth
stimulates. Mohanalakshmi and Vadivel (2008) [7] observed
that ashwagandha plant sprayed with Panchagavya (3%)
produced higher number of leaves per plant.
(2). Yield enhancer
Crop yield is the complex function of physiological processes
and biochemical activities, which modify plant anatomy and
morphology of the growing plants. There are several reasons
for increased yield in different crops due to spray of
panchagavya. Smaller quantities of IAA and GA present in
panchagavya when foliar sprayed could have created stimuli
in the plant system which in turn increased the production of
growth regulator in cell system and the action of growth
regulators in plant system stimulated the necessary growth
and development, leading to better yield. This might be due to
favourable effect of panchagavya on vegetative growth viz.,
number of branches plant-1and reproductive growth viz., pods
plant-1, seeds pod-1 and test weight, which were the important
yield attributes having significant positive correlation with
seed & straw yield.
Panchagavya increased synthesis of growth promoting
substances which is turn helped in increased growth and yield
attributes and finally grain yield. Similarly findings have been
reported by Swaminathan et al., (2007) [11] and Choudhary et
International Journal of Chemical Studies
al., (2014) [3]. Panchal et al., (2017) [8] conducted a field
experiment during rabi, 2014-15 at Agronomy Instructional
Farm, College of Agriculture, Dantiwada Agricultural
University, Sardarkrushinagar, to study the effect of
panchagavya on growth, yield and economics of chickpea and
reported that among different treatments, foliar spray of
panchagavya@ 4% at branching and flowering stage showed
its superiority by producing the seed (2054 kg ha-1) and stover
(2483 kg ha-1) yield of chickpea, respectively. Rakesh et al.,
(2017) reported that there was increase in growth and yield
parameters at low concentration of panchagavya; it is
recommended that the panchagavya can be used for spray
after diluted properly to 3%.Pinjari et al., (2007) conducted a
field experiment during 2005-6 and 2006-7 to find out the
effect of 3% Panchagavya spray on sweet corn and reported
that all the yield characters viz., number of cob ha-1, cob yield,
straw yield and biological yield were significantly higher with
the application of 3% panchagavya and amrutpani through
irrigation over the control during both years and in the mean
of two years. Selvaraj (2003) [10] reported that application of
panchagavya and vermicompost combination had given the
highest pod yield of French bean variety Ooty-2 which was
36% higher than the conventional method.
(3) Fertility booster
Application of panchagavya improves fertility status in soils
by increasing macronutrients, micronutrients and beneficial
microorganisms thus increase soil health. It improves water
holding capacity of soils because it acts as organic manure.
Panchagavya help in proper growth and reproduction of
beneficial soil microorganisms resulting vigorous plant
growth. Microbial flora of soil plays an important role in soil
health. The microorganisms present in the rhizosphere
environment around the roots influence the plant growth and
crop yield. The beneficial microorganisms from Panchagavya
and their establishment in the soil improved the sustainability
of agriculture.
Beaulah (2001) [2] found that the beneficial micro-organisms
from panchagavya and their establishment in the soil
improved the sustainability of agriculture as the
microorganisms presenting the rhizosphere environment
around the roots influence the plant growth and crop yield. It
may be due to presence of plant growth promoting substance
in cattle dung and other nutrients which provide substrate for
growth of microbes.
(4). Disease preventers both in plant and animal
Application of panchagavya increases immunity power in
plants thereby confers resistance against pest and diseases and
also provided various beneficial metabolites produced by
microorganisms such as organic acids, hydrogen peroxide and
antibiotics which are effective against various pathogenic
microorganisms. It also plays important role in animal health
and human health. Jandaik, et al., (2015) [5] reported that the
cow urine has antifungal activities and the inhibitory activity
can be used in the control of fungi. Darma et al., (2005)
reported that panchagavya substances are abundantly used in
Ayurveda for treatment of several disorders such as
leucoderma, hyperlipidemia, arthritis, renal disorders, dietary
disorders, gastrointestinal track disorders, acidity, asthma etc.
These remedies seem to be potent anticancer and anti HIV
agents.
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(5). Drought Hardiness
A thin oily film is formed on the leaves and stems, thus
reducing the evaporation of water. The deep and extensive
roots developed by the plants allow to with stand long dry
periods. Both the above factors contribute to reduce the
irrigation water requirement by 30% and to ensure drought
hardiness.
Conclusion
From the foregoing review, it can be concluded that plant
growth substances present in Panchagavya help to bring rapid
changes in plants and also improves the growth, yield and
ultimately improve the productivity of the crops. Its
application increases immunity power in plants thereby
confers resistance against pest and diseases and also provided
various beneficial metabolites produced by microorganisms
such as organic acids, hydrogen peroxide and antibiotics
which are effective against various pathogenic
microorganisms. Thus, Panchagavya plays a major role in
organic farming and sustainable agriculture.
References
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